Opportune times: With Lee out, QBs promised quality reps
By Rich Kaipust
WORLD-HERALD Bureau « Big Red Today LINCOLN — Cody Green will see it.
So will Kody Spano and Taylor Martinez. Latravis Washington and Ron Kellogg Jr., too.
Opportunity.
Zac Lee is recovering from arm surgery and won't go through Nebraska spring football practice. It will clear more work for one quarterback who played some last season, another who played just a little and three who have yet to take a college snap.
"They're going to get to play,'' offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "It gives them a great advantage. They're going to get a lot of quality reps. Not only quality reps, but a chance to be exposed to a lot more football.''
Watson has some ideas about how the Huskers might divvy up the snaps when practice starts March 24. The more important part, he said, is what the quarterbacks do with the opportunity.
Call it a chance for NU to make a positive out of a potential negative.
"I want to see how far along Cody Green is — what he learned and where he's at — so he'll get a lot of time,'' Watson said. "Kody Spano needs to see where he's at coming off his injury, so we need to get a look at him. We need to see exactly where the younger players are, where a Taylor Martinez fits into the race, so he's going to get a quality look.
"We'll see how it all pans out. Some of it will depend on how we structure practices.''
Quarterback is an intriguing position around the Big 12 as teams either start or prepare for spring practice.
Nebraska is one of four league teams returning two quarterbacks who started at least two games last season. Four have clear-cut returning starters, and four others will be searching for a new one.
The NU battle took a different turn when Lee needed surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon after the Holiday Bowl, one of his best games. Green likely has the most to gain after the Huskers transition from winter conditioning to a week off to spring practice.
"All those things are up to him,'' Watson said. "That's the maturing or the process. He's had a good winter. He's a much more mature and confident player than he was last year at this time.
"He's taking advantage of the opportunity afforded to him right now. He's seizing the moment.''
Green arrived last winter at NU and played in nine games as a freshman, including two starts. Washington appeared briefly in four games.
Spano was cleared for winter conditioning after twice tearing his ACL in 2009. Martinez is coming off a redshirt season, and Kellogg is the only walk-on of the bunch.
None will wear the no-contact green jerseys in practice, a change from past years for the Huskers.
"We need to see them,'' Watson said. "The other thing with green jerseys is a false sense of security develops.''
Lee might not be ready to throw until May. For his own sake, Watson said, the senior could have used the 14 practices and April 17 spring game to progress.
"In fairness to Zac, he wishes he could be out there, because there are things he knows he's got to get better at and improve at,'' Watson said. "Knowing his personality, it'll be hard to sit there and watch because he knows these other guys got a nice little spot, and he knows he's dealing with a lot of talent in that (quarterback) room.''
Spring football is traditionally very basic, and that won't change much.
"We want to be real simple in the way we present ourselves to them scheme-wise,'' Watson said, "and then get them taught.''
• NU NOTES: Watson said Brandon Kinnie has clearly put himself with Niles Paul as the Huskers' top receivers based on how he finished last season. "And everybody else is chasing those two,'' he said... Offensive lineman Quentin Toailoa is not part of the updated NU roster on Huskers.com. After signing in 2008, Toailoa redshirted one season and did not play in another. ... Among the newcomers who will go through spring practice, offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick will wear No. 50, defensive end Chase Rome has No. 97 and defensive tackle Jay Guy has No. 99. ... Sophomore receiver Khiry Cooper will change from No. 6 to No. 1 next season, a number also worn by kicker Adi Kunalic (and previously by receiver Chris Brooks). Cooper again is playing baseball this spring.
The kitchen sink approach to bringing along QB's
- Thread starter sarge87
- Start date
kansas husker
All-Conference
Very excited about this article, but where is Carnes?
Also did anyone else notice the article said:
Also did anyone else notice the article said:
Could someone translate this.
4 teams will have starting QB controversies between two players who started at different times last season.
4 teams have a clear cut returning starter.
4 teams will have to break in a new starting QB.
kansas husker
All-Conference
Thanks Sarge.
Well, I think that's for a couple of reasons...
1) The hype machine revolving around Cody Green is still there. I think as long as Lee is out and Green is practicing, people are going to start favoring him.
2) The coaches may not see him as a legitimate starter yet. There are very few quarterbacks out there that are mentally and physically prepared to play at the college level. Ergo, they probably won't say as much about him.
3) I think this article is focused on the spring, and I don't think Carnes enrolled yet. I could be mistaken though. :LOLtartar In that case, just ignore the 3rd reason and go with the first two.